Post-Eels match review, a look at the Adam Doueihi injury and take a look at where-to for Wests Tigers from here. https://weststigerspodcast.com.au/wests-tigers-podcast-0247/
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Best comments in this pod were from Declan calling out the club for letting Hastings go. It was a dreadful, dreadful call.
I also support Declans call to look at swapping for a Sullivan or a Trindall immediately. We probably need both to have any hope of salvaging the season.
@mickb why would sharks let trindall go they will need him throug origin, won't happen.
Sullivan maybe he is a chance of leaving dragons seems unhappy he would be a good pickup
Hastings is goooone mate, I lament tedesco leaving but can't do anything a out it now. Maybe we don't get Bateman is Hastings is still here who knows.
I get you don't like Brooks in the halves but now AD is injured I'd say he is in the halves for the year hopefully at 6
Who partners AJ in the centres?
Any chance Tigers move Junior Tupou to centre?
I know he had a great game on the wing and those strong carries at the start of our sets are super important. However, he probably eventually ends up there in a year or two and he has all the attributes to be a class centre. A position we have struggled in for many years now..
If this year is already half gone, why not give him the year to develop..
We can hit the ground running in 2024 with a centre pairing of Naden and Tupou. will be extremely dangerous and difficult for other teams to handle.
I'd prefer to keep JT on the wing, get his confidence up over a prolonged period before looking at positional moves. That said, the cupboard is pretty bare with our backs so he may have to shift through necessity. Talau should be back soon too.
Felt it was a good conclusion from Garry on the pod re: getting personal. As much as I think Pascoe is a sub-standard operator and a bit gaffe-prone, a lot of the stuff around him is way out of line IMO. Call him out on his decisions by all means, but anything more than that is a bit of a low blow. Same goes for Lee, although he should probably listen to the same advice given some of his recent comments.
End of the day, Pascoe is effectively an avatar for the board - he is their conduit into the business. He can absolutely lobby them into making changes/decisions that he sees fit, but the big calls are ultimately signed off by the board, who are a pretty unremarkable bunch with all due respect. Other clubs have giants of industry or heavy hitters in specific RL circles, and our guys are just honest toilers (James Myatt aside perhaps). No real football nous and no sway in the business world to entice players to move to or stay at WT. Think of someone like Tedesco back in the day - being wined and dined by Minichiello, Politis, Bouris et al. Throw in our results and lack of facilities (until now), it's no surprise that we've really struggled to recruit anyone of note over the last decade.
Who partners AJ in the centres?
Any chance Tigers move Junior Tupou to centre?
I know he had a great game on the wing and those strong carries at the start of our sets are super important. However, he probably eventually ends up there in a year or two and he has all the attributes to be a class centre. A position we have struggled in for many years now..
If this year is already half gone, why not give him the year to develop..
We can hit the ground running in 2024 with a centre pairing of Naden and Tupou. will be extremely dangerous and difficult for other teams to handle.
IMO Tupou is a fullback in the making, not a centre. I would leave him on the wing as long as possible to ensure he is properly conditioned to NRL first grade but be working on his passing game non stop in training. Leave him away from centre, its not a transferable skill set with fullback and he wont learn what he needs to learn for FB and will waste time adapting to a different game. IMO Tupou is going to be something special and I'd leave him on the wing as long as possible before transitioning him to FB.
Yeah I’d probably leave him on the wing.
1. Staines
2. Tupou
3. Kepaoa
4. Talau (surely he’s back after the bye?)
5. To’a
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
I’d go with that plus…Yeah I’d probably leave him on the wing.
1. Staines
2. Tupou
3. Kepaoa
4. Talau (surely he’s back after the bye?)
5. To’a
7. Wakeham
6. Brooks
But you know Sheens will have the 6 & 7 the other way around.
Good comment by Declan that we all were impressed by AD and brooks on the weekend, but in reality it was probably because they played less crap then previous weeks and were nowhere near the level Moses was playing at. The fact we had nearly double the amount of tackles in the oppositions 20 and couldn’t convert shows clearly we lack creativity and execution in the halves. Switch either of our guys with Moses or brown and we win that game by a couple of tries.
re centre, I’d put toa or talau in there and keep tupou on the wing. Toa actually played okay other than his woeful attempts at tackling sivo, but to be fair he makes most players out to be chumps. I think he is a better centre than winger anyway. That does mean replacing the wing with noffa though.
Also agree that there’s no point scouring nsw/qld cup for a diamond in the rough when we already have a nsw cup half in wakeham. He’s hit and miss but why get another one. Rather save our bikkies for a proper half, or get Pearce in for a short stint.
Ps Laurie is not the answer at half. He has made a couple of 5th tackle kicks this year which were horrendous, but more importantly how can you drop a guy and watch him stink up nsw cup, then see him like other team tries on the socials, then recall him to first grade for one of your most important positions?!? I’d welcome him back if he showed me something of worth, but honestly think in his current state he would negatively impact the team if brought back.
I didn't hear the press conference but, apparently, Sheens alluded to Daine returning to NRL duties for the next game? We'll find out next Tuesday arvo I suppose.Good comment by Declan that we all were impressed by AD and brooks on the weekend, but in reality it was probably because they played less crap then previous weeks and were nowhere near the level Moses was playing at. The fact we had nearly double the amount of tackles in the oppositions 20 and couldn’t convert shows clearly we lack creativity and execution in the halves. Switch either of our guys with Moses or brown and we win that game by a couple of tries.
re centre, I’d put toa or talau in there and keep tupou on the wing. Toa actually played okay other than his woeful attempts at tackling sivo, but to be fair he makes most players out to be chumps. I think he is a better centre than winger anyway. That does mean replacing the wing with noffa though.
Also agree that there’s no point scouring nsw/qld cup for a diamond in the rough when we already have a nsw cup half in wakeham. He’s hit and miss but why get another one. Rather save our bikkies for a proper half, or get Pearce in for a short stint.
Ps Laurie is not the answer at half. He has made a couple of 5th tackle kicks this year which were horrendous, but more importantly how can you drop a guy and watch him stink up nsw cup, then see him like other team tries on the socials, then recall him to first grade for one of your most important positions?!? I’d welcome him back if he showed me something of worth, but honestly think in his current state he would negatively impact the team if brought back.
What's actually happening with Noffa?That does mean replacing the wing with noffa though.
He cut a lonely figure in the stands at Wests KOE game whilst the other WT players were sitting away from him. 🤔
What's actually happening with Noffa?That does mean replacing the wing with noffa though.
He cut a lonely figure in the stands at Wests KOE game whilst the other WT players were sitting away from him. 🤔
I have a feeling (and I could be very wrong) that he has carried on a bit since his return from Melbourne. It already had a bit of carry on in him but I imagine his ego went through the roof. He was even talking about it in the media. Funnily enough there is no talk of anyone interested in picking him up even as he sits in reserves.
Funnily enough there is no talk of anyone interested in picking him up even as he sits in reserves.
It wasn't that long ago when we were shedding good players when I said as long as we kept Noffa I would be happy.
Now if I had to make a decision to keep either Junior Tupou or Noffa I wouldn't hesitate in saying "on your bike Noffa"
It's sad really. When you talk about one club legends, he had a chance to cement himself as one.
I do feel for him though, not making a grandfinal or finals for soooo long.
Well Noffa, how do you think we supporters feel. 😉
Now if I had to make a decision to keep either Junior Tupou or Noffa I wouldn't hesitate in saying "on your bike Noffa"
It's sad really. When you talk about one club legends, he had a chance to cement himself as one.
Tupou has easily overtaken him in the pecking order. His form has dropped off big time since he signed the extension.
